Medal of Honor awarded 42 years later

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Spc. Leslie Sabo Jr. was married for one month before shipping out to Vietnam

Sabo died in a firefight in which he shielded his mates from a grenade

President Barack Obama, in awarding an overdue posthumous Medal of Honor to a Vietnam hero Wednesday, paid tribute to soldiers who received a cold reception when they returned home from the Southeast Asian war.

"This month, we'll begin to mark the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War," Obama said at the White House ceremony. "A time when, to our shame, the soldiers didn't receive the respect and the thanks that they deserve. A mistake that must never be repeated."

President Barack Obama presents the Medal of Honor to Rose Mary Sabo-Brown.

Sabo, of Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, was killed May 10, 1970, in Cambodia.

But it wasn't until 1999, when a 101st Airborne veteran was doing research at the National Archives, did the box with Sabo's Medal of Honor paperwork surface. That set the wheels in motion for Wednesday's eventual honor.

Sabo's heroism, near the Se San River in Cambodia, is documented by the Department of Defense:

"Even though his platoon was ambushed from all sides by a large enemy force, Sabo charged the enemy position, killing several enemy soldiers. He then assaulted an enemy flanking force, successfully drawing their fire away from friendly soldiers and ultimately forcing the enemy to retreat. While securing a resupply of ammunition, an enemy grenade landed nearby. Specialist Sabo picked it up, threw it, and shielded a wounded comrade with his own body -- absorbing the brunt of the blast and saving his comrade's life.

"Although wounded by the grenade blast, Sabo continued to charge the enemy's bunker. After receiving several serious wounds from automatic weapons fire, he crawled toward the enemy emplacement and, when in position, threw a grenade into the bunker. The resulting explosion silenced the enemy fire, but also ended Specialist Sabo's life."